The third surprise was an old car in the middle of the woods. The trees were not letting this large piece of metal prevent them from reaching for the sun.

A fourth surprise was three eastern white pines growing along a stream. Eastern white pine is not native to this location in southeastern Virginia, and it grows one whorl of branches per year. So from this photo we can deduce that someone planted these trees about 30 years ago.

Another thing that surprises foresters in the woods is abandoned houses. I usually stop and take a moment to think about what the house was like on special days like Thanksgiving.

These journeys into the woods were to help landowners decide if it is a good time to harvest their trees. Loggers working nearby had expressed interest in purchasing the timber. Our Virginia Department of Forestry’s website offers a good deal of information on selling timber.